13 PhD Programmes in Civil Engineering in USA for 2024

The Doctor of Civil Engineering (D.Sc) helps students tailor a highly individualized program of study directed toward completion of a dissertation that is expected to make an important contribution in their selected area. Civil Engineering is a broadly based discipline that includes a variety of specialties in the areas of mechanics, structural engineering, construction materials, environmental engineering, water resources engineering, geotechnical and environmental engineering, and transportation engineering.

The degree provides qualified students the opportunity for advanced training and specialization and enables them to gain experience in conducting engineering research and in the interpretation and communication of the findings. Programs are available in construction engineering and management, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics and hydrology, pavements and materials, structural engineering, and transportation engineering.

Doctoral study provides the highest level of formal preparation before entering the engineering profession. It is both competitive and challenging and offers special opportunities for learning, research and application. Together with their professors and mentors, doctoral students comprise a true community of scholars. The student's advisory committee, which is responsible for overseeing the student's final achievement, is an integral part of such a community.

The field of Civil and Environmental Engineering represent challenging and rewarding professions that serve the needs of the public at all levels from locally to internationally. Our graduates practice in local, state and government agencies; small, medium and large consulting firms both domestic and internationally to launch careers in fields such as law, medicine and venture capitalism.

Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at SMU has a long tradition of excellence in serving people and society. Today, we continue this tradition by developing the fundamental and applied technologies that have an impact on people’s lives.

The objective of the graduate program in civil engineering is to prepare students for continued professional and scholarly development consistent with their technical interests. Students, with the assistance of a faculty advisor in their area of interest, plan their programs of study in one of the technical areas in civil engineering.

Students must elect to pursue a specialization in Geology, Geological Engineering, or Mining Engineering. Those interested in paleontology at the PhD level enroll in the Geology Specialization. Each specialization has different background and program requirements. The available coursework and current faculty expertise support the following areas of concentration.

The Civil and Environmental Engineering PhD (CENE PhD) degree program provides opportunities for students to gain expertise in a broad range of research areas that support state initiatives, closely tie to campus research thrusts, and align with federal funding sources such as NSF, DoE, DoD, USDA and NASA. Doctoral students work with faculty advisors mentors to develop personalized programs of study and make significant contributions to the Civil and Environmental Engineering body of knowledge through their research. The requirements for the PhD CENE degree are found in our course catalog. For additional information about the CENE PhD degree program please refer to the CEE PhD Handbook.

As one of the fastest-growing fields in the U.S. and developing countries, new methods and technologies are emerging in civil and environmental engineering. Environmental engineering students use one of the world's largest wastewater treatment plants as a real-world laboratory to improve the water quality of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The Ph.D. program provides an outstanding education in a small focused setting. The doctoral program focuses primarily on the environmental area and computational modeling and information technology applications in civil engineering...

Graduates with the Doctoral Degree in Engineering Science (Structural Engineering) will demonstrate: an in-depth understanding of the basic and advanced topics in structural engineering; the ability to use common tools and techniques in structural engineering; the ability to create and perform independent research on an original and novel topic in structural engineering; and others.

The School of Architecture offers the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Architectural Sciences to candidates prepared to undertake innovative and substantive research that adds to the body of knowledge drawn on by the design disciplines.

Two Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered in the Herff College of Engineering: Biomedical Engineering, a joint program between UofM and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center; and Engineering, featuring an interdepartmental curriculum with concentrations across the college. Candidates for all degrees must follow a curriculum plan that has been approved at the departmental level and by the Director of Graduate Studies of the College.